Randolph, VT – CMCC Men's Basketball suffered its first loss of conference play this season, dropping the third contest of their four games in four days road trip to Vermont State University-Randolph, 82-61. Will Duke was the only Central Maine player to reach double figures with 11 points, as the team put up its worst shooting performance since the opening weekend of the season.
The Mustangs looked like a team on their third game in three days, struggling to keep pace with the Knights in the first half. After an early exchange of buckets, Vermont broke things open with a 15-2 run to lead 17-6 with 13:28 remaining. J.T. Pound and Khaden Moore finished at the rim to help keep the visitors in it, but the lead had ballooned to a 15-point deficit with 5:32 left before halftime. A layup by Tim Herbert and a three from Luke Jamieson were not enough to narrow the gap. CMCC went into the break trailing 39-24.
It was a similar story to how the Mustangs' previous visit to Vermont went last season. CMCC trailed by 18 at the break, 32-14, in that game before a furious rally fell short by a missed three-pointer in the final seconds. This time around, there would be no comeback. The Knights outscored them 14-3 to start the second half, extending the lead to 27 points.
Alexandre Brigitte and Keiontay Marsh twice cut the deficit to 19 points, but that was as close as Central Maine would get. VTSU-Randolph managed the clock from there to see out the victory. Pound and Moore both finished with nine points behind Duke's team-leading effort, while E.J. Carter scored eight. The Knights beat the Mustangs in every major statistical category, outshooting them 49.2% to 34.3%, winning the rebound battle 33-32, and forcing 13 turnovers compared to their 12. Jaylon Calvin put up a game-high 19 points with Shandon Judd-Danne Anderson (17), Jaden Clark (12), and T.J. Wilson (11) also reaching double digits.
The game between the teams, both tied at #5 in the latest USCAA DII poll, sees a split of the regular season contest for the third straight year. Vermont remains in third in the YSCC standings at 4-2 behind UMaine-Augusta at 7-1 and Central Maine now at 10-1.
A tired CMCC squad next heads to Albany on Friday to face the ACPHS Panthers in the final leg of their conference road trip. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 pm.
